Lacombe homeowners will see their property tax bills rise 2.5 per cent next year.
Lacombe town council approved the increase on Monday during its deliberation of the 2010 budget, said Michael Minchin, corporate services director.
The homeowner property tax will rise an average of $38 for the year on an average home worth $250,000.
Council’s decision will generate an additional $203,000 in tax revenue.
Council also approved a bylaw setting the 2010 municipal utility rates, utility rates including water, wastewater and solid waste disposal.
Those rates will rise an average of eight per cent.
That translates to about $8 a month for water, sewer and garbage collection services, Minchin said.
The town’s total operating cost for next year will be $24.34 million.
The total capital project budget is $6.37 million in new expenditures and $4.17 million in capital projects carried over in progress from this year.
There will be no increase in user fees or additional funding for police and bylaw staff.
The major capital projects next year include $1.28 million for the complete reconstruction of two blocks of 45th Avenue including water and waste water main replacement, road base and pavement and sidewalk replacement.
The second largest project is a $1.08 million expenditure for the main arena ice pad replacement.
Other capital projects include:
• Water service connections and paving improvements at Hearthstone Drive, $487,000
• Equipment purchases, $824,000
• Water and waste water main replacement and paving of 53rd Street from 50th Avenue to 51st Avenue as part of the downtown revitalization, $435,000
• Other paving and sidewalk projects, $320.000
Council also supported the Lacombe Athletic Park field house project through underwriting a grant application.
Council agreed to set aside $40,000 a year for the next three years in capital projects for a planned skateboard park.